Modelling sea level rise in ArcGIS

BTN123

Posted 07 October 2009 - 07:12 AM

BTN123

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Hi All,

I am attempting a project using ArcGIS to simulate a number of sea level rise scenarios on a coastal location. I am looking to create output maps for differing levels of inundation, e.g. a 0.5m rise, 1m rise, etc. I was just wondering if anyone could help me out as to how I would go about doing so? What data do I need? Also I've heard hillshade may be involved? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Charles Syrett

Posted 07 October 2009 - 10:01 AM

Charles Syrett

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Well, when you think about it, the inundation levels are just contours, right? I did a map like this once.....I just started with a digital elevation model, and created the contour lines for the elevations I needed, and then redefined those lines as inundation levels. I'm not sure why hillshading would be involved, since that's a separate feature from the inundation levels per se.

I am attempting a project using ArcGIS to simulate a number of sea level rise scenarios on a coastal location. I am looking to create output maps for differing levels of inundation, e.g. a 0.5m rise, 1m rise, etc. I was just wondering if anyone could help me out as to how I would go about doing so? What data do I need? Also I've heard hillshade may be involved? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Posted 08 October 2009 - 08:23 AM

Nick H

Posted 08 October 2009 - 08:51 AM

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Does anyone else have any other advice or suggestions?

I don't know anything about ArcGIS I'm afraid. However, it might be worth downloading MICRODEM and searching for 'Flooding Analysis' in the help file. But I guess the quality of the results of any flood analysis carried out by computer will depend almost entirely on the quality of the elevation data. It's unlikely that SRTM data will be good enough and I've no idea what the OS charge for their DEMs.

They also detail their methodology, which includes lots of ArcGIS use and a hydrologic model to predict where sea water would fill into on land based on elevation.

If you wanted to take a more basic route, you could take a closer-range view and just highlight all of the areas in blue that are below the elevation of interest (e.g. 2 meters). If you set the hue of the blue equal to the surrounding ocean in whatever image you've got, it will simulate rising sea quite well, especially if you use the right transparency effects.

I've completed similar graphics, eventually outputting blue-highlighted rasters via KMZ to Google Earth, where you can navigate flooded areas in 3D with satellite imagery, 3D buildings, etc, which brings the point a lot closer to home than a basic map. In any event, good luck and let me know if you have any specific questions.

I don't know anything about ArcGIS I'm afraid. However, it might be worth downloading MICRODEM and searching for 'Flooding Analysis' in the help file. But I guess the quality of the results of any flood analysis carried out by computer will depend almost entirely on the quality of the elevation data. It's unlikely that SRTM data will be good enough and I've no idea what the OS charge for their DEMs.

BTN123

Posted 10 December 2009 - 08:42 AM

BTN123

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Does anyone else have any other advice or suggestions?

I don't know anything about ArcGIS I'm afraid. However, it might be worth downloading MICRODEM and searching for 'Flooding Analysis' in the help file. But I guess the quality of the results of any flood analysis carried out by computer will depend almost entirely on the quality of the elevation data. It's unlikely that SRTM data will be good enough and I've no idea what the OS charge for their DEMs.

I was looking at the MICRODEM website the other night after it was mentioned on another thread and one of the samples is the depiction of sea water level rise using a 1m LIDAR DEM:

Cool, some decent stuff there! So I'm using ArcMap and would ideally like a similar output as the MICRODEM shown above, i.e. a range of maps each detailing different inundation scenarios. It sounds like creating contours and redefining these as mentioned above, would be the simplest/most effective method of doing so. So I just wanted to see if anyone has any advice on how to go about doing this?

Nicholas_C

Posted 10 December 2009 - 02:40 PM

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Hi:Just a thought.....Another thing to think about is its not just the static/fair weather sea level that is of most concern. The storm surge/tsunami runup/rivermouth flooding scenario changes associated with sea level rise are the real worry for a lot of cities. Look into maybe running the FEMA HAZUS model, which runs in the ArcGIS framework, using varying sea levels for the input.

BTN123

Posted 11 December 2009 - 06:29 AM

BTN123

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Hi:Just a thought.....Another thing to think about is its not just the static/fair weather sea level that is of most concern. The storm surge/tsunami runup/rivermouth flooding scenario changes associated with sea level rise are the real worry for a lot of cities. Look into maybe running the FEMA HAZUS model, which runs in the ArcGIS framework, using varying sea levels for the input.

Hi,I am aware that the biggest and most realistic hazard is storm surge associated with sea level rise, and the FEMA HAZUS model you have highlighted is very good. However, I am solely interested in the effect of different inundation levels (without associated surges or other related hazards) and would like to digitise these inundation levels in ArcGIS myself as opposed to using an existing model. My desired output would be similar to the MICRODEM map above, but having individual maps for each inundation level. As mentioned, creation of contours (redefined as inundation levels) appears to be the most effective method of doing this, I'm just not fully sure of how to do this! Any help or advice on how to do so would be great!

Posted 09 July 2010 - 03:10 PM

Huma

Posted 12 July 2010 - 06:27 PM

Huma

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Hi,

I just joined to this website and I know the solution, so if you are still looking for that let me know

Sahar

Hi Sahar,

I will be highly obliged if you could please help me with the above answer as I am also looking for the same thing. Essentially, I am looking to make maps of sea level rise at various levels in software such as ArcGIS or whichever you think is suitable. It would also be useful to have 3d views.

ghaney86

Posted 15 July 2010 - 05:39 PM

ghaney86

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I am also interested in pursuing a project modeling sea-level rise and affects of population, infrastructure using GIS. Any methodology or projects that could help, please send my way or post. Thanks much.

lc500

Posted 07 August 2012 - 06:30 PM

lc500

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The quickest thing I would think of is to actually seek out water shapefiles (you can probably find them in local gis databases from local or state gvt. websites, etc.) for different years. If there is any difference in the two you literally know the sea level rose during that time period.